Penguin Ventures

www.penguin.co.uk

Stand K230

Penguin Ventures, the licensing team at Penguin Random House Children’s UK, says recent global fashion collections have resulted in exponential growth for The World of Peter Rabbit.

Apparel collections have performed particularly strongly in the UK, the home market for Peter Rabbit. Marks & Spencer, a halo partner during 2022’s 120th anniversary celebrations, launched a range of infant apparel that extended into nursery bedding and accessories. Impactful POS, window displays and a dedicated digital campaign featuring lifestyle photography ensured a sellout success and the continuation of the partnership into 2023.

A collaboration with Cath Kidston paired the brand’s distinctive handwriting with Beatrix Potter’s delicate drawings, resulting in an entirely bespoke range of infant and adult fashion lines as well as homewares and accessories.

The Peter Rabbit Blade & Rose collaboration delivered a high-end infant range via a multi-territory deal with Penguin Ventures. The first trend-led collection launched in the UK in January 2022. A second launch this year will see an expanded product range hit shelves.

The brand’s 120th anniversary and Year of the Rabbit celebrations have proved compelling in China, with capsule collections launched to mark both occasions. Shanghai Lingdong Trading Co. created a licensed range for premium Chinese loungewear brand Neiwai, which announced a Peter Rabbit collaboration to welcome in the Year of the Rabbit. Its symbolic New Year Red head-to-toe outfit formed part of this collection and generated over 70m social media impressions on launch.

Peacebird Men Fashion Co. launched a Peter Rabbit menswear collection in China to coincide with the Year of the Rabbit, the first-ever menswear range for the brand. Other successful apparel ranges for the Chinese market included lines from Chickabiddy, Hangzhou Zaiyi and Ribo, which all launched major collections in collaboration with fashion retailers.

Peter Rabbit has also performed strongly in Australia over the past three years, with licensee Designworks supplying adult and infant clothing to key fashion retailers. Target has become the home of Peter Rabbit, stocking adult and children’s sleepwear and clothing ranges which include everything from rompers, dresses and trousers to tracksuits and swimwear. Other success stories for Australia include Peter Alexander, which launched its third Peter Rabbit DTR collection, and Cotton On Body, which launched women’s sleepwear and loungewear.

In North America, TJ Maxx and Marshalls both launched new Peter Rabbit collections from Children’s Apparel Network, whilst children’s brand Mori launched a high-end Peter Rabbit collaboration supported by an influential PR and marketing campaign.

Japan has also seen a sharp rise in Peter Rabbit apparel licensing over the past 12 months. Classic Peter appeals strongly to young adults, providing opportunities for fashion retailers. Japanese licensee Melrose Co. designed trademark feminine ranges for Pink House, which included skirts, dresses, bags and accessories, while Domace Co. launched a line of women’s pyjamas which sold exclusively via the Distribution shopping TV channel.

To discuss further licensing opportunities as the Peter Rabbit brand continues to expand, visit the team in Vegas on stand K230.

BBC Studios

www.bbcstudios.com

Stand N204

BBC Studios is returning to the Vegas Licensing Expo this year to reconnect with its existing partners, as well as explore new licensing opportunities for its impressive portfolio of brands such as Bluey, Hey Duggee and Doctor Who.

BBC Studios Kids & Family’s hit animated series Bluey, for which it is both the international distributor and licensor, has had a strong 2023 so far. It won the 2023 Kidscreen Award for Best Animated Series – Pre-school; Bluey’s Big Play The Stage Show is touring the US for the first time and Bluey’s second album Bluey: Dance Mode is enjoying a successful global release.

In the UK, new Series 3 episodes of Bluey will land on Disney+ later this year. Bluey was the leading pre-school toy growth property in the UK, doubling sales from 2021, according to Circana, and was the No.1 programme on CBeebies TX platform for 2022.

Hey Duggee, also part of BBC Studios Kids & Family’s content portfolio, remains the most streamed children's show on BBC iPlayer for the third year running, with new Series 4 episodes arriving later this year. Hey Duggee The Live Theatre Show has won an Olivier award for Best Family Show and is selling out theatres nationwide. BBC Studios also has plans in place for the hit pre-school show’s 10th anniversary, which is coming up next year.

Doctor Who returns for its 60th anniversary in November this year, with Russell T Davies returning as showrunner. From then on, Disney+ will be the show’s global platform, while BBC will remain Doctor Who's home in the UK and Ireland. BBC Studios’ 17-year Master Toy relationship with Character Options has been renewed, so it’s an exciting time for the franchise.

BBC Studios is preparing for the retail launch of The 1% Club boardgame in the UK and Ireland this summer. Earlier this year, it inked a deal with John Adams Leisure to develop, manufacture and distribute a table-top version of the hit TV game show, hosted by British actor and comedian Lee Mack and produced by Magnum Media for ITV.

The BBC Earth Experience recently launched in the UK; an immersive experience featuring footage from BBC Studios’ Natural Unit’s Seven Worlds, One Planet. With bespoke narration from Sir David Attenborough, the experience is produced in partnership with Moon Eye Productions and Live Nation.

Following on from the Vegas Licensing Expo, BBC Studios looks forward to progressing future product roll-out plans, expanding into new categories and territories, and forging new partnerships that will further enhance its brand offerings.